Dodger Stadium

In an otherwise horrible season for the Dodgers, Ronnie Nelsen is having a pretty good year. He can throw either right-handed or left-handed with equally good arm strength, and he's an inspiration to teammates and fans. Just shy of 80, Nelsen has been a Dodgers vendor for 53 years, focusing mainly on peanuts. And he hasn't missed a home game in nine years. Kathy Paris, a fan in Section 39, was Nelsen's first sale of the night at a Dodgers-Mets game last week. She and her friend Brenda Barnett said it's an inspiration to see a guy his age working such a physically tough job. Nearby, a fan named Anita Morland had this to say: "God bless him. He goes up and down the stairs like he's a young man. " A slight exaggeration, perhaps.

The Dodgers' new owners have not spoken to the NFL about building a stadium next to Dodger Stadium and have no immediate plans to do so but are open to the possibility. Clarity can sometimes be derived from reading between the lines. Which might just be what's required here. Mark Walter, the Dodgers' new controlling owner, was in attendance at Dodger Stadium on Friday, the same day The Times' Sam Farmer broke the story about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell setting guidelines for any teams interested in moving to Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Police Department will be out in force Thursday night at Dodger Stadium for the first home game since authorities announced a "zero-tolerance" crackdown on rowdy behavior. The beefed-up law enforcement presence comes after a Santa Clara paramedic was severely beaten at the Dodgers' home opener. Fans can expect uniformed officers posted throughout the ballpark. Officials said the officers will be more aggressive about expelling or arresting people who cause trouble.

Home is where the heart is, even if not the cheering throngs. But very early, home has been very good to the Dodgers. Heck, it's actually been perfect. Not all the warm fires and mom's chicken noodle soup in the world could make Dodger Stadium a more comfy place for the Dodgers these days -- they've started the season 7-0 there. April numbers on most anything can change in a hurry (see: Juan Uribe's four hits Monday raised his batting average 75 points), but the Dodgers can at least take some early comfort in knowing that Chavez Ravine has been one friendly place thus far. Of course, it could be argued that their good run at home has been aided by six games against the lowly Padres and Pirates, but still, they did win the games.

Whenever someone asks me if I want to do lunch, they always wonder if I have a favorite spot, and I always lie. I tell them about a funky steakhouse in Glendale, a bustling Chinese joint on Broadway, a bright Mexican diner in Pasadena. I never tell them the truth, because they couldn't handle the truth. I never tell them about my real favorite place, because it's my place, my secret, my unvarnished connection with this city's sporting soul, my midday siesta among this city's sports dreams, the darn near perfect spot for a sportswriter and his peanut butter sandwich.

The family of Giants fan Bryan Stow issued a call for civility among rival sports fans and asked people to help catch the two suspects. At a news conference Tuesday outside County-USC Medical Center, where Stow remains in a coma due to a brain injury he sustained during a beating at the Dodger Stadium parking lot on opening day, the family thanked the public for their support and prayers. Stow is a father of two and a paramedic who made a road trip from Santa Cruz to attend the game.

A man attacked alongside Bryan Stow testified Friday that the beating in a Dodger Stadium parking lot was completely unprovoked and came at the hands of a violent local fan whom their group of San Francisco Giants fans had tried to ignore. The witness, one of four paramedics who traveled together from the Bay Area to attend opening day last year, recalled how the fan, dressed in a white Dodger jersey, set upon them out of the blue as they crossed the lot, shoving Stow and punching another friend in the face.

Fans are fed up Re "Ballpark violence," Editorial, April 7 The Times encourages fans not to tolerate rowdiness at Dodger Stadium. As a Dodgers fan who has attended many games, I find that the bad behavior usually stems from individuals who have consumed a few too many beers. At the very least they interfere with my enjoyment of the game. The Times says it is not suggesting that the stadium go dry. I am. There are plenty of soft drinks and water available. I am an 84-year-old man, and I am not about to confront several drunk individuals who are rowdy.

Frank McCourt is finished as owner of the Dodgers. Everyone knows it from Bud Selig down to the fans who buy seats in the bleachers. It's just a matter of time. And it is mostly for financial reasons, but McCourt's tepid response to the brutal beating of a Giants fan on opening day reminds me of three more. He doesn't respect the game, doesn't understand the rivalry and seems oblivious to the responsibilities of the owner of one of the great major league franchises. Instead of expressing outrage and disgust at the near killing of a baseball fan in the parking lot outside of his stadium, he spoke like your everyday landlord trying to avoid a premises liability suit.

As she stood in a Dodgers Stadium parking lot, Terry Romero pointed to one of the hillsides that shape the urban panorama around the baseball park. "I sat up on that hill pregnant with my son," said Romero, 63 and trim in her Brooklyn Dodgers shirt -- a reminder of the provenance of the team before it moved to Los Angeles. "I've been here every opening day since they built this stadium." So of course, Romero, an administrative assistant who lives in Highland Park, was there Tuesday for the Dodgers' home opener.